


not reached by the frost

by exbex



Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Aromantic, Asexual Character, Asexual Relationship, Bakery and Coffee Shop, Fluff and Humor, Happy Ending, M/M, Matchmaking, Polyamory, Queerplatonic Relationships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-04
Updated: 2018-11-04
Packaged: 2019-08-18 19:37:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,248
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16523357
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/exbex/pseuds/exbex
Summary: Three years after Kent has retired from working as a porn star, he's running a computer repair/accessories shop with his qpp Dex. The new coffee shop/bakery that opens up down the street makes life just a little bit sweeter. But it turns out one of the partners is Alexei, a former co-star on whom Kent had developed a bit of a crush. What will happen next? (Answer: Probably exactly what you are predicting).





	not reached by the frost

**Author's Note:**

> In spite of our two leads being former porn stars, there is no on-page sex in this story. There is at least one ridiculous porn name, because I fancy myself a humorous person.
> 
> Dex is a good bro who just wants his qpp to be happy.
> 
> Ransom and Bitty (or Justin and Eric, as they are in this story), are good bros who just want their bro Alexei to be happy.
> 
> Alexei is a hopeless romantic, as is Kent.
> 
> Dex experiences aesthetic attraction.

“I’m doing a scene with Vlad the Impaler. It’s going to be the pinnacle of my career.”

Swoops blinks at Kent and crosses his arms over his chest. “Come hold my feet.”

Kent obliges. Swoops sits up. “One. Is that really his name?”

“It’s his screen name. Obviously.”

Swoops eases himself back down, then sits up. “Two. That’s weird even for porn.”

Kent holds his raised eyebrow as Swoops lays back down and sits back up. “This from a guy who goes by Swoops.”

“Three. It’s my basketball name.”

“You used to play hockey. In Canada.”

“Four. You know basketball was invented by a Canadian, right?”

Kent changes the direction of the conversation as Swoops eases himself back down, lest he hears Swoops’ favorite history lesson for the twelfth time. “If you watched gay porn you’d know who he is. He’s huge.”

“Five. With a name like Vlad the Impaler, I imagine so.”

“He’s actually pretty average size. Well, for porn. I mean he’s popular.”

“Six. Again, with a name like Vlad the Impaler, I imagine so. Are you excited because this is going to boost your career, or because he has a big dick?”

“Both, obviously.”

“Seven. Is he good-looking?”

“In an unconventional sense. He kind of looks like Evgeni Malkin. He has those long arms that remind me of tentacles.”

“Living the dream, eh?”

3 years later…

Kent snorts when he reads the name of the bakery off of Dex’s paper bag. “Bit of Heaven? I don’t know if that’s more cheesy than pretentious or more pretentious than cheesy.”

“Neither,” Dex quips.

“I take it it’s really good stuff.”

“It’s good stuff. It’s also owned by a hot blond and his Adonis of a husband.”

Kent uses the hand that’s not holding the bag to make a sweeping gesture. “This store is owned by a hot blond and a ripped ginger.”

Dex smirks. “I never said you weren’t hot. Also, not a narcissist. The hot blond bakery owner is also the head baker. He’s small but ripped and he has this refined southern accent. 

His husband has cheekbones you could cut marble with. And there’s another owner with a cute accent. Tall guy, kind of odd-looking but it works for some reason. Also, that coffee you drink every single day that I bring to you? Comes from the bakery, Super Unobservant One.”

Kent swallows the snarky comment he’d been poised to make. The coffee that Dex brings him every day is divine. “Okay, I get it.”

“All of which is to say, next coffee run is your turn.”

Kent raises an eyebrow. “You mean, you’d be willing to give up your daily dose of eye candy.”

“I’m all about charitable giving.”

**

When Kent walks into the bakery at 7 AM, he’s slammed by a thought spiral that is, for once, pleasant. The blond toes the line between ‘cute’ and ‘hot as fuck’ with the grace of a ballerina on pointe. The man who must be his husband is so beautiful that Kent wishes that he’d done more than throw on a snapback and one of Dex’s flannels. He recalls that the two of them are married, then attempts to decide if it would be worth risking being banned by propositioning them for a three-way.

The trilling of the bell on the door breaks Kent out of his reverie at the same time that two sets of gorgeous brown eyes settle on Kent and threaten to short-circuit his brain, producing an odd sense of homeostasis.

“Good morning,” the blond greets him. Kent realizes that he’s standing right in the doorway and manages to half-lurch, half-walk into the store. It’s too early in the morning for real rumination, but he figures that if two attractive men looking at him is doing this to him, he really needs to get laid.

“Um. Hi. Can I get two large coffees to go, please?”

“You sure can. Those will be ready for you in two shakes.” Kent makes his way to the cash register as he allows himself to watch the blond walk towards the paper cups and machine. When he tears his eyes away, he finds himself facing the other man, who’s giving him a knowing smirk. It’s too early in the morning to try to guess whether these two would be open to a threesome or if the smirk is underlined by a smug “yeah, that one’s mine” vibe, or both, so Kent just proffers payment.

“We’ve expanded our menu recently. Sandwiches for breakfast and lunch. Eric’s homemade bread,” the owner slash cashier cocks his head toward the co-owner slash barista,   
“vegan and gluten-free options included, and we can deliver if you’re close by.”

“I’m just down the street, actually. Or my business is. The computer-repair place. Well, repair and accessories and stuff. Innovtech. My partner and I, we actually drink the coffee from here pretty much every day.”

“You must be Kent. So you work with Dex?”

“Yeah. Well, he does the work, I just keep the books and stuff.”

The cashier slash owner laughs. “Yeah, I know how that is. I do the money stuff and my husband over there does all the magic. I’m Justin, by the way. Justin Oluransi. This is my husband, Eric Bittle.”

Kent accepts the proffered hand. “Kent Parson.” Eric returns with the coffees and a small paper bag. “Here you are Sugar. A couple of muffins on the house.”

“Oh you don’t have to do that.” Kent manages to accept the coffees and bag and shake hands with Eric without scalding himself.

“Got room for a menu?” Justin asks. “In case you’re hungry again later?” Justin’s thousand-watt smile threatens to make Kent spill everything, but he manages to receive the small paper menu without incident.

“Hey thanks guys. I’ll be seeing you.”

**

“You win.” Kent sets the coffees and food down on the counter before walking to the front door to switch the OPEN sign on. “Justin Oluransi and Eric Bittle: hot geniuses. Pineworthy.”

“We all win,” Dex replies as he sips his coffee. His eyes widen as he spots the paper bag. “Eric sent muffins?” He gives a little squeal that Kent could never have predicted coming from one William Poindexter. “Blueberry.”

Kent makes a face. “Not a fan. Wait, is that other one-?”

“Lemon poppyseed. The preferred muffin flavor of Kent Vernon Parson.”

Kent stares, then accepts the proffered muffin. “How did he know?”

“Pretty sure Eric is some kind of mage or something.”

Kent moans as he takes a tentative bite. “I thought Justin was just being adoring husband slash savvy businessman when he said that Eric does the magic.”

“Oh he was definitely being both of those things. He was just also being completely literal.” Dex pauses in savoring his muffin to pick up the to go menu. “More evidence to confirm,” he says as he peruses it. “We’re definitely making this one of our main lunch places.”

“Gotta support other local businesses” Kent agrees as he tears off another piece of his muffin.

**

Dex has spent most of the day in front of a screen, trying to recover data from someone’s hard drive. Kent tentatively rests his hands on Dex’s shoulders, only to feel them tense up even further. 

“Not now. Please.” Dex raises a hand to his face and rubs his eyes. “Sorry…”

“No worries,” Kent replies. “It’s almost closing time here, how about I get you something from the bakery?”

“Hot chocolate?” 

“Anything you want, Sexy Dexy.”

Dex rolls his eyes, but he cracks a smile for the first time in hours. “You’re a god among men.”

“Of course. I’ll be back in ten.” 

**

Eric is manning the counter while Justin is on his laptop at one of the smaller tables. There’s a tall guy at the cash register, his back turned.

“What can I get for you Hon?” 

“Just a hot chocolate please.”

“Coming right up.”

“Kent Parson?”

It’s a voice, an accent, that is familiar to Kent, but he doesn’t place it until he turns away from Eric to respond to the man behind the cash register. A chill goes through Kent, and it has nothing to do with the autumn weather outside.

He doesn’t have the weird haircut anymore, but it’s the same eyes, the same crooked nose, the same mouth, the same long arms. Kent’s face starts to burn.

“The one and only,” Kent smirks, but immediately wants to run out and ask Dex to invent a time machine so that he can backpedal on saying something so ridiculous. Honestly, they’d make a killing.

Alexei Mashkov, former porn star, doesn’t seem to care about Kent’s embarrassing response. “Looking good,” he says. “You live here now?”

“Uh, yeah. I own a business up the street. Innovtech. You…work here?”

“Am partner. Only in sometimes. Not good at cooking or doing numbers.”

“He’s good at being friendly. And flirty.” Eric appears with the hot chocolate and pats Alexei on the arm. “And overall making everyone’s day a little brighter.”

“And looking good,” Justin chimes in.

Alexei looks past Kent and grins. “Am not looking like movie star like some,” he calls.

Kent raises his eyebrows as Alexei returns his gaze. Alexei just smiles and shrugs, which doesn’t answer the question of whether Justin and Eric know what Alexei once did for a living. Kent lowers his gaze as he digs into his pocket. “Thanks guys” he says as he trades a five for the hot chocolate. “Keep the change.”

“Come again soon,” Alexei says. Kent feels his face flush.

“You have a nice evening Kent,” Bitty grins in a way that (Kent thinks) is entirely friendly and not knowing. Kent manages a wave as he turns and heads for the door. Justin flashes his usual grin as he hands Kent a sleeve for the cup that Kent wasn’t even aware was uncomfortably hot against his skin.

The OPEN sign has been switched off but Kent knows that the door won’t be locked yet.

“Thanks,” Dex says as Kent hands him the hot chocolate. He pushes away from his work station and slides the chair over to an empty table, carefully prying the lid off of the hot chocolate and taking a tentative sip.

Kent returns to the door to lock up, and doesn’t notice his hands slightly shaking until he nearly drops the keys. He feels a little light-headed as he heads toward the cash register to return the keys.

Dex frowns as he looks at Kent, then stands. “What’s wrong?”

“I don’t know.” It’s an honest answer.

“Okay.” Dex approaches him slowly. “Is this okay?” He holds his arms out and Kent leans into his touch. 

“Alexei Mashkov co-owns the bakery with Eric and Justin.” Kent rests his head on Dex’s shoulder.

“Yeah.”

“Alexei and I used to work together.”

“Oh? Oh. Oh!”

Kent can’t help but laugh a little at Dex putting the pieces together. He pulls away enough to look at Dex. “It wasn’t bad. At all. He’s a really good guy. The scenes we did together were the best I ever did. And yes, I mean that in the crudest way possible, but also because he was really easy just to get along with.”

Dex scrutinizes him for a moment. Kent can practically count the seconds down before his eyebrows rise in realization. “Oh man, you fell for him, didn’t you?”

Kent nods. “I mean, it was a crush. And then I stopped doing porn and we lost touch because…well, that’s what happens. It was just…weird, to see him today.” Kent laughs. “The whole thing is surreal. I mean, it shouldn’t be, right? It’s just two guys who used to know each other ran into each other. They own businesses down the street from each other, they live in the same city…” He pauses. “They used to fuck each other. Okay, it’s weird. It’s weird, right?”

“It is whatever it is.”

“But I’m the only one making it weird. He was so nice today.”

Dex is rubbing his back, slowly up and down, nodding as he listens. His mouth quirks up as he listens. “So you maybe still have some sort of crush on this guy.”

Kent glares, but without any heat. “There’s no place for this to go.”

Dex shrugs. “Why not?”

Kent sighs and sits down in the chair that Dex has vacated. He passes the hot chocolate carefully back to Dex. “I can’t date a guy that I fucked for work. I can either fuck for work or fuck because I have feelings for the other person.”

Dex takes a few careful sips. “Um, the two of you haven’t even worked in porn for, well, three years for you, I don’t know how long for him. I mean, I know it’s not always possible to leave the past in the past, but…” he trails off, waiting for Kent to fill in the blanks.

“He’s down the street Dex. We used to fuck. If we threw feelings into the mix and then it didn’t work out, we’d still have to work near each other. I’d have to send you to the bakery every time for coffee. You’d get sick of it and leave me. I’d probably end up hiring somebody who doesn’t know what they’re doing, the store would fail, I’d have to go back to doing porn except I’m too old to do porn. It’s too much of a risk, Will.”

“First of all, we’re queerplatonic partners; I’m not just going to leave.”

“So you won’t get sick of me?”

“I’m sick of you all the time. Doesn’t mean I’m going to leave. Second, having to run to A Bit of Heaven all the time is not exactly a burden; I’m ace, not dead. Third, and most importantly, you can do something about how you feel and there’s no telling what could happen, though I would beg you to apply Occam’s Razor. You can do nothing and it’s pretty certain that nothing would happen.”

Kent slumps. “If you love me as much as you say you do, you’ll get some shitty whiskey and make me an Irish coffee.”

“I’m legit offended right now.”

“Because of my cultural stereotyping?”

“No, because you think I actually keep shitty whiskey around. My taste in whiskey is above reproach.” Dex holds out his hand. “C’mon, I’m taking you home.”

**

Kent’s life has involved a certain number of things not calculating correctly. He did porn for five years but has only had sex with one person for whom he’s actually had real feelings. One and a half, if Alexei counts. Well, Alexei counts, but the sex maybe only kind of counts because Kent hadn’t had the time or the courage or the right circumstances to explore his feelings. The only other sexual encounters he’d had had been when he and Jack had been teenagers with their own shit going on, and neither of them really knowing how to deal with their feelings or much of anything else.

Kent did porn for five years and had more sex than he could keep track of with dozens of partners, but he was touch-starved for most of that time.

Meeting William Poindexter has made things start adding up, both because Dex is a great business partner and because he is truly exceptional at non-sexual touch. And it’s almost enough for Kent. Maybe was enough until the day Kent walked into their favorite bakery and saw Alexei Mashkov, and all of Kent’s attempts to dismiss him as being anything besides just another costar (albeit better than average), crumbled.

Kent is shaken out of his train of thought by the sound of someone coming through the door. His greeting dies on his lips when he sees that it’s the obscure object of his desire, just a little bit dampened by the rain that has started to fall. He looks like a bit of a mess, his hair clumping in front of his eyes in an unsexy way. It doesn’t stop Kent’s heart from fluttering, especially when Alexei flashes him a grin. “Order for Innovtech,” he says. 

Kent frowns. “We didn’t order anything.”

“Was Dex.” Alexei’s smile falls a bit. “He sound terrible over phone.”

“Oh yeah,” suddenly Kent feels like the world’s worst qpp, although Dex had groaned to ‘leave him to die in peace with some Gatorade and tissues and cold medicine’ just a few hours ago.

“Oh yeah, he’s got whatever is going around.”

“Eric sent soup, cherry pie, tea. Very hot.”

“Thanks,” Kent takes the box with the containers and wonders if the way his fingers brush against Alexei’s is intentional on either of their parts. “How much do I owe you?”  
“Justin say to put on tab.” Alexei smirks. Kent shrugs. “Yeah, probably a good idea. Well, I’ll run this upstairs to him. Feel free to look around for a minute, or just wait for monsoon season to be over.”

Alexei laughs as he looks outside at the rain that is now coming down in buckets. “Good idea Kent.”

Dex is sitting up with the tv turned low when Kent lets himself into the apartment. “Very hot,” Kent says as he sets out various containers on the coffee table. “Feeling any better?”

“A little,” Dex says. 

“Enough to conspire against me?”

“I see it as conspiring for you. Also, it’s just happy coincidence that Alexei was delivering today.”

“How am I supposed to go back down there and make small talk with the guy who used to plow me?”

“There’s no rule that says that you have to bring up awkward things from your past. Talk about what normal people talk about.”

“Are you saying that porn stars aren’t normal?”

“Not all porn stars are Kent Parson, therefore not all porn stars are abnormal.” Dex pauses to take a careful bite of soup, then flutter his eyelids and give a satisfied sigh. “Eric Bittle must have stolen the souls of every loving grandma to have ever existed in order to make soup like this.”

“That is…an incredibly disturbing thought, but those bambi eyes must be hiding something.”

“Mmm…mm hmm,” Dex spoons his soup slowly, his eyes closing as he pauses with every bite. Kent gets up and paces for a moment before giving himself a once-over in the mirror. 

“You’ve got this,” Dex calls from the sofa. “Pretty sure he likes you back.”

“Yeah? What would give you that impression?”

“Because the last two times I’ve been in the bakery and he was there, he asked me all sorts of questions. Definitely fishing for your status.”

“Does he know that we’re qpps?”

“Yeah.”

“You give him the shovel talk?”

“Nah. I love you, but not that much.”

Kent squares his shoulders and exhales slowly. “Okay. I’m going back in.”

“That’s good, because you’re too damn cheap to hire more help and he’s been down there for a while now.”

“You know how hard it is to find good help. Wish me luck.”

“You don’t need it. Get out of here before I infect you.”

“Okay. Love you. Stay hydrated.”

“You too.”

Alexei is absorbed in laptop coolers when Kent returns to the store, but he looks up and flashes a grin that is so familiar that Kent actually feels a little weak in the knees. “How is Dex doing?”

“Better than he was this morning. It’s still coming down pretty well out there huh?”

“Da. Good thing I lucky and get to wait in store with expensive cameras and beautiful owner.” Alexei’s eyes are twinkling, and Kent silently curses the flush that he can feel creeping up his neck.

“Yeah, I have no idea what to say to that.”

Alexei takes his time walking over to Kent, but he doesn’t avert his gaze. “Say you have dinner with me soon.”

Kent raises an eyebrow. “You don’t waste any time, do you?”

“Wasted time three years ago Kent. Not waste time anymore.” 

The intensity is not what Kent has expected, but he’d be lying if he said it didn’t stir something in him. Still, he has to test, has to push. “You’ve already gotten me in bed, why all the niceties now?” His voice is light and he keeps his smile firmly in place, but he also knows that there’s a catch in his voice. 

Alexei doesn’t miss a beat. “Was job then. Do it for real now. Do it right. Kent Parson deserves all niceties.”

Kent lowers his eyes and rubs one hand over the back of his neck, but he can’t keep his grin from widening. “Smooth. Okay, Alexei. I’ll have dinner with you.” He looks back up. 

“Why don’t you give me your number and I’ll call you when Dex is feeling better, or when he gets sick of me hovering, whichever comes first.”

“We trade phones, give each other numbers” Alexei replies. “Please.”

Kent obliges, and by the time they return their respective phones, the rain has reduced to a slow trickle. “I probably shouldn’t have kept you away from the bakery so long, huh?”

Alexei shrugs. “Justin say to take time, that I give deets when I get back. Whatever those are.”

Kent snorts. “It just means that your partners are connivers.”

**

Alexei suggests a steakhouse on the other side of town, and Kent breathes a sigh of relief. It’s a place he and Dex go to occasionally, a place where that doesn’t have any sort of dress code or ambiance that creates any kind of pressure.

Kent’s relief completely evaporates the moment that Alexei shows up at his door. He’s wearing a black Henley and jeans that, while not exactly painted on, remind Kent of exactly what’s underneath them.

“Hey,” Kent actually fingerguns at Alexei, and promptly wants to be swallowed up by an earthquake. He was never this awkward when they were actually fucking. 

Alexei just grins. “You look good.”

“Yeah, you’re smooth.” Kent goes with the teasing route in order to distract himself from the blush that’s crawling up his neck. At the rate he’s going, he’ll spontaneously combust   
before he ever gets to kiss Alexei.

Alexei holds up his hands in a mock-defense. “Is true. I spend half hour picking out outfit for myself.”

“And then you got smart and asked for Justin or Bitty to help you?”

Alexei snorts. “True. They take five minutes.”

“Well, you don’t need a lot of help. To look good, I mean.”

Kent’s expecting a smirk, but Alexei’s eyes actually light up. “Am glad you like.”

Kent’s stomach flips a little. It’s either going to a very long or very short evening, and Kent’s not sure which one he’s hoping for.

**

Dex is waiting for him when he returns from dinner. “Details,” he demands once he gauges the soft, contented smile on Kent’s face.

Kent pulls a chair out and accepts the tea that Dex pours for him. “The sirloin was good, as per usual. They’re doing something different with the wedge salads…”

Dex kicks him beneath the kitchen table as he sits down with his own cup, but there’s no heat in it. “You’re home too early for sex to have happened, too late for the night to be a bust. You’re mostly relaxed but a little bit giddy.” He leans back and strokes his chin, half-mocking and half-serious. “You guys kissed. Not a full-on makeout sesh but not a peck on the cheek either.”

Kent raises his eyebrows. “That’s impressive.”

“Yeah, I totally peeked through the curtains.”

Kent lays one hand over his heart. “Looking out for me? That’s sweet.”

“Yeah, we’ll go with that.” But Dex is grinning. 

**

Kent leans back in the grass and sighs. “I can’t believe that you managed to find a checkered blanket and wicker picnic basket and everything.”

Alexei shrugs. “Is Eric. He’s like a magician.”

Kent laces his fingers behind his head. “That would explain the massive amount of food that came out of that one little basket.”

Alexei eases himself down beside Kent, a lazy smile crossing his face. “He likes to…strike matches?”

“Match-make?”

“Yes. He and Justin both. I think they already plan for wedding, babies, everything. I tell them that I not want to rush things. Have to take time, make sure do things right way.”

Kent’s heartrate quickens, but he forces himself to maintain eye contact. He regrets it immediately; Alexei is looking at him like he’s the best thing since Eric’s pies, and Kent is pretty sure he’s going to end up saying something awkward.

“Is that why we haven’t had sex yet?” Self-fulfilling prophecies are a bitch.

The smile fades from Alexei’s face. “Was afraid you would ask. Truth is, I do too much porn. My dick doesn’t work anymore.” The corner of his mouth twitches, and Kent realizes he’s been hanging on every word.

“You’re an asshole,” Kent groans, but he can’t help but laugh. “I can’t believe I like you. That is the worst joke ever.”

Alexei shifts so that he can sling one arm across Kent’s waist. “Candle burns longer if only one end is lit.”

Kent leans into Alexei’s touch. “Not to mix the metaphors or whatever, but are we getting a lot of firewood, making sure we have enough for winter?”

Alexei leans in for a long kiss. “Not just a metaphor,” he murmurs as he pulls away. “Let’s take winter off, just eat Eric’s food and stay in bed all day.”

Kent is a little light-headed from the kiss and Alexei’s eyes and the idea of being tucked under blankets with Alexei while a fire roars and they sip hot cider from mugs. He opens his mouth to retort, try to restore some balance, but nothing comes out.

As if Alexei can sense that they’ve wandered dangerously close to something, he rolls to his back and stretches. “Tell me how you end up here, get store, meet Dex.”

They fall into easy chatter, and when the sun begins to set and it’s time to pack up and leave, there’s a feeling of contentment resting inside Kent’s chest that lasts all the way back to the apartment.

**

Dex is sprawled out on the sofa, looking unfairly succulent in a grey v-neck and jeans.

“Cuddle me,” Kent demands, but with the hint of a question in his voice. Dex responds by holding out his arms, relaxed with the palms open, and Kent clambers over the furniture to lay his own frame atop Dex’s.

“Is that your phone or your dick?” 

Kent groans and shifts, which leads to a flailing of limbs, and wordless acknowledgement that the couch is not equipped to handle two grown men in their positions.

“Here,” Dex gestures to the space between his feet. “I’ll rub your shoulders.”

“I want to fuck him so bad.” Kent rests his head against Dex’s knee. “But I’m afraid to speed things up.”

“Why would things have to be sped up?”

“He’s good at it. And I like him. I like him a lot.”

“And the fear of speeding things up comes from…?”

“I like what we’re doing now. And he was speaking in all these metaphors about burning things slowly and keeping the flame low and stuff. I don’t want to rush him. Or me.”

Dex presses his thumbs a little harder into Kent’s traps and waits for the exhale. “I’m getting the impression that there’s something else about this whole thing that’s bothering you.”

“He’s super romantic,” Kent adds. “Picnic baskets and hand-holding and kissing-oh my god the kissing. He’s an even better kisser than he his a top. I did not think that that was possible. And he’s real about it; it’s not just a show or…I don’t know, something he’s doing just because he thinks I want it.”

“I’m pretty aro, but that sounds like the opposite of a problem.”

“I want to do the same thing for him. I mean, I know he likes doing it and doesn’t expect a return or whatever, but if he shows his affection in these romantic ways I figure he’d appreciate someone being romantic back. I just don’t know what to do.”

Dex moves his fingers up to Kent’s neck and rubs gently. “And…?”

Kent shrugs and tilts his head forward. “And what?”

“This is about more than romantic gestures. This is about intent and declarations.”

Kent closes his eyes and breathes in and out. “You got me. Alexei just….knows how to make these statements.”

Dex rubs firm circles across Kent’s neck and shoulders until he’s relaxed. “Flowers.”

Kent frowns. “Flowers?”

“Yeah, they’re these plants. Some of them turn into fruit later. People give them to each other to show affection sometimes.”

“Okay smart ass. It just seems kind of obvious.” Kent’s eyes widen. “Dex, you’re a fucking genius.” He pulls away and stands, turning to face Dex with a grin. “Not just flowers, but plants. Something that grows and gets watered and shit.”

Dex raises an eyebrow, but his mouth is twitching as if he can’t suppress a grin. “Go get your roots put down.”

**

The aloe plant pup is almost comically small in the planter, barely peeking over the rim, nestled in a mass of soil. Kent realizes he’s cradling the planter in his arms before he’s halfway up the walkway to Alexei’s house, but figures there’s no sense pretending that this is some sort of casual gift.

Alexei’s face lights up as if it’s an orchid, or a dozen roses, or a gardenful of sunflowers. “Is just like my Kenny,” he says. “Small and spiky.”

“Dork,” Kent says, but he can’t suppress a smile. 

They take their time choosing a place for it. “Indirect light,” Kent reminds him. “It’s going to take a few years to mature.”

“I commit,” Alexei says, his eyes meeting Kent’s, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

Kent licks his lips to give his suddenly dry mouth something to do. His heart is beating a little fast, but it’s out of some sense of anticipation rather than anxiety. “It’s not gonna stay like that. It’ll send out new shoots, you know?”

Alexei takes his hands into his own. “Is good,” he says softly, “Has much to give.”

3 years later

Kent shifts the potted aloe pup to the crook of his elbow in order to better embrace Swoops. “You’ve gone a little soft there in the middle,” he teases.

Swoops laughs as he pulls away. “That’s what’ll happen. At least I’ve got these two to keep me running around.” Kent glances down at the two small children who are peering up at him.

“Looks good on you,” Kent says.

“So I’m dying to know,” Swoops says as Kent sinks into a comfortable sofa and accepts the beer he’s proffering, the kids having run off after Kent apparently passed inspection and inquisition.

“You mean about the business, or…”

“You know exactly what I mean,” Swoops nods at the ring on Kent’s left hand as he settles in next to him. “Looks like you’ve found someone who can actually tolerate you for the long haul,” he teases.

“A couple of them, actually.” Kent laughs as Swoops’ face goes from wide eyes to a grin. “Don’t worry, I’ll tell you all about them.”

“So I don’t have to give anyone the shovel talk? Do tell, I love a good happily ever after.”

Kent smiles and rubs his thumb carefully over his ring. “Me too.”


End file.
